New York Police have arrested a 62-year-old man they stated lit an American flag on hearth in a restricted space as President Joe Biden's motorcade drove previous.

The incident occurred Thursday round 4 p.m. ET, in keeping with information outlet Breaking 4 Information. The outlet tweeted a picture of the unnamed man, who was wearing a vivid neon jacket, being surrounded by plenty of New York Police Division (NYPD) uniformed officers.

Additionally proven was a picture of the flag that he purportedly tried to set alight because the presidential entourage made its well past him, headed towards the NYPD headquarters. The banner appeared to have a gap and torch mark in it from the place the person allegedly tried to burn it.

The act seemed to be in protest in opposition to President Biden, who was within the Large Apple to satisfy with New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams about decreasing gun violence within the metropolis. Numerous protesters had been seen alongside the motorcade route because the president made his means by way of the streets of New York.

The NYPD informed Newsweek that the person "was noticed standing on a boulder getting used as a barrier on the location. The person was requested to step down by officers for safety and security causes. The person then proceeded to enter a personal fenced in space."

"When the person entered the non-public space, he held an American flag the wrong way up and efficiently lit it on hearth," the NYPD continued. "The person was positioned into police custody and was taken to the seventh Precinct the place he has since been issued a prison summons and was launched."

Burning an American flag is just not in itself unlawful. The U.S. Supreme Courtroom held within the 1989 landmark determination of Texas v. Johnson that flag burning was protected beneath the First Modification as a type of freedom of speech.

Regardless of a number of Congressional efforts to overturn this ruling by way of proposed amendments, flag burning has been indisputably authorized ever since.

Biden Motorcade
A person was arrested exterior of the NYPD headquarters on Thursday for trying to gentle an American flag on hearth close to the motorcade of President Joe Biden, who was on the town to satisfy with New York Metropolis Mayor Eric Adams. The act of burning a flag is just not unlawful, however the man could have been arrested out of worry for the president's security. Right here, President Biden will be seen in his limousine, "the Beast," in New York Metropolis in September 2021. Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty

Whereas no single legislation outlines penalties for motorcade interference, there may be important precedent for folks being arrested alongside these VIP routes.

Over time, the U.S. Secret Service has stopped quite a few individuals who have tried to impede a wide range of federal motorcades, together with these transporting the president.

In 2017, Secret Service brokers surrounded a automotive that rolled down an embankment in Springfield, Missouri, heading towards the motorcade of then-President Donald Trump. It was initially believed that the automobile was trying to ram the president's limousine.

Nevertheless, in what the Springfield police chief known as an "premature unlucky coincidence," it was found that the brakes on the automotive had merely malfunctioned. The occupants of the automotive had been ultimately launched by the Secret Service with out incident.

In June 2016, a viral video confirmed legislation enforcement officers in New York Metropolis tackling a bicycle owner who tried to roll by way of a blocked intersection. The road had been closed to make means for the motorcade of then-President Barack Obama.

NYPD officers, together with Secret Service brokers, will be seen within the video throwing the person to the bottom as President Obama's entourage drives previous. The person, reportedly unaware that the road was closed, was issued a high-quality for "disorderly conduct."

In 2013, KPCC radio reported that protesters in Los Angeles had been arrested for blocking an intersection alongside Obama's route. Eleven protesters in whole had been reportedly positioned in handcuffs, after which had been regularly launched all through the day.

Whereas the flag burning on Thursday seems to be the primary such incidence of motorcade interference throughout President Biden's time period in workplace, his spouse has already handled such an encounter.

This previous October in Chicago, Secret Service brokers tackled a person trying to stroll in entrance of first woman Dr. Jill Biden's SUV. The protester, who was holding up an indication for immigration reform, reportedly didn't adjust to orders to get out of the road.

He was ultimately arrested by Chicago Law enforcement officials and charged with disorderly conduct.

Regardless of these tried intrusions, the trendy presidential limousine, often known as "the Beast," has by no means really been halted by a protester. The Secret Service notes on their web site that "every automobile is outfitted with a wide range of tools to supply the protectees with a safe setting all through your entire journey."

Replace (02/04/2022, 4 p.m. ET): This story has been up to date with an announcement from the NYPD.